Account Manager – Background & Description

About Us – Based in Durham, North Carolina, Firsthand Foods is a women-owned, mission driven company that helps local, pasture-based livestock producers get their meats to market. Our team shares a set of core values, including innovation, collaboration and accountability and we are passionate about doing our part to build a more sustainable and equitable meat industry. We operate within a dynamic team environment that requires high levels of communication, adaptability, strategic thinking and a sense of humor.

Position Description: The Account Manager is responsible for managing and maintaining wholesale customer accounts. This hire will exhibit professional customer service at all times, building positive relationships with customers so they feel taken care of and value their connection to our company. You will focus on helping to grow sales, especially of products that we need to move in order to sell in balance and follow through on our commitments to our livestock producers. You will use company tools and databases to help plan the production of meat cuts and key products to ensure maintenance of inventory levels. You will support the Sales Manager and work closely with the Operations Manager and Chief Marketing Officer as we strive to continuously improve the effectiveness of company processes.

Responsibilities:

• Execute all aspects of the account management process, including order-taking, cross-selling, and retention. Assist with on-boarding new customers as appropriate.
• Communicate with customers on a weekly basis, primarily via text and email to solicit regular orders and identify and create opportunities for cross selling. 
• Solicit and understand customer preferences and be responsive to customer feedback on the quality of our products and operations. 
• Respond, resolve and track incoming wholesale customer complaints.
• Learn and effectively utilize company accounting software (Quickbooks), inventory software (VistaTrac), CRM software (Hubspot) and spreadsheet-based production planning tools.
  
• Maintain comprehensive and detailed customer records (e.g., contact information and order preferences) in Hubspot.
  
• Maintain detailed records of sales activity, including volume of products sold on a weekly basis, to facilitate production planning.
  
• Compile weekly sales and customer service-related scorecard metrics to facilitate tracking of company impacts.
  
• Communicate routinely and easily with the COO, Sales Manager and Operations Manager to assist with development of processor cut sheets, solve problems and make process improvements.
• Participate in and contribute to weekly leadership team meetings.
• Prepare and distribute weekly food service and retailer newsletters in collaboration with Sales Manager and CMO. 
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of our mission, product attributes and claims, meat cuts, and fabrication techniques and be able to effectively articulate these with customers.
• Demonstrate a consistent and enthusiastic ability to work as part of a team.

Characteristics & Traits:
High Initiative, Adaptive, Detailed, Confident, Organized, Diligent, Service
Oriented, Good Natured, Hard Working, Team-Player

Successful Candidates Must Have:
Minimum 3 Years Experience, including 1 year customer service experience
Strong Computer Literacy, including familiarity with Excel
Strong Social Skills, including excellent written & verbal communication

Desirable (but Not Required):
Food and/or meat industry experience

Reports to: Melissa Robbins, Sales Manager. 

Salary: This is a full-time position. Salary range is $40,000-$45,000 and is commensurate with experience.

Location: The Account Manager will work in Firsthand Foods’ Durham office. This is not a position conducive to working remotely.

Employee Benefits: Minimum 10 days of paid leave annually plus federal holidays, disability insurance, employer sponsored retirement, and $100 monthly credit toward meat purchases.

COVID-19 considerations: Large warehouse with minimal employees; visitors are required to wear masks; work areas are cleaned routinely.

Please send a cover letter and resume to info@firsthandfoods.com.